3425. Final Video: How Toa Payoh Vets treat an ear abscess in a red-eared slider

How to treat an ear abscess in a red-eared slider
Toa Payoh Vets, Singapore


Lethargic. Stopped eating.The owner is very worried.
A swelling behind the eye causing pain and loss of appetite. This swelling is a collection of pus inside the ear. It is called an ear abscess.

Some vets prescribe antibiotics. This will not be effective as the pus inside the ear is thick and hard.
What is the treatment? Gas anaesthesia to enable the head to be extended outwards to gain access to the swollen ear.

Four steps are needed:  
1.  Incise with a scalpel
2.  Lance
3.  Drain the debris
4. Curette the thick lumps of pus

(Define incise, lance, drain, curette and how is the procedure done)

TIPS
As the pus is not liquid, it needs to be dug out after lancing and draining using a curette

FINAL VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUNXSRwJTOQ

URL of this blog:

https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2019/02/3424-how-to-treat-ear-abscess-in-red.html

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THESE VIDEOS WERE EDITED TO SHOW RELEVANT FOOTAGE FOR THE FINAL VIDEO (ABOVE).

3424. Images - Skin diseases in dogs - sex hormone dermatosis?

3423. INTERN. Westie. Solution for a high tension stitched area after removal of a gigantic granuloma

Day 4
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Day 52 of inpatient
Granuloma wound healed
Above elbow tumour removed and wound is healed.
Westie goes home

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3422. Sat Feb 9, 2019 MORNING EXERCISE

Feb 9, 2019  8 am exercise

No birds seen nearby.A few flapped their wings flying overhead away from me, forwards and sideways. Cooing and chirping sounds heard nearby from caged birds. One bright yellow bellied bird, like the orange-breasted green pigeon flew above the trees above me and away to disappear ahead.
Blue skies, bright sunshine.

3421. A dwarf hamster's nasal lump 6 weeks ago.

EMAIL TO DR SING KONG YUEN dated Feb 8, 2019

Dear Dr Sing Kong Yuen,

My 20 months old male winter white hamster has been afflicted with an unidentified lump on the left side of his face. Currently, the left side of his face is swollen beyond recognition, and his nose bridge is crooked, making that side of his face disfigured. I cannot see his left eye now, as the opening is swollen. I do not know

This began on 2 January 2019, when I noticed a small lump near his nasal area and tip of his lip. I brought him to Vet 1 on 6 January and he was given enrofloxacin and meloxicam to be fed. A day before his review with Vet 1 on 17 January, the lump "ruptured" and there was dried blood when I came to realise. I cleaned it with saline solution but could not wash off the dried blood completely. I was informed by Vet 1 that his condition could not be operated on due to the lump placement and he was placed on palliative care with daily feeding of meloxicam.

I consulted Vet 2 and was advised to continue 2 more weeks of enroflxacin, meloxicam, and newly prescribed Leftose. However, my winter white hamster's condition did not seem to be getting better. The swelling continued and more new scabs formed. 

On 5 February, when I fetched my hamster from his "hamster hotel", I noticed that the swelling moved upwards and the whole left side of his face was disfigured. I cannot see his left eye anymore and his nose bridge is crooked. Scabs has thickened and a larger area of his lip has formed new scabs. On 7 February, Vet 2 said to wait until the scabs fall out to determine the next course of action. In the meantime, he was prescribed prednisolone. I was told to give him a rest first before starting on it next Monday, 11 February.

I am utterly devastated by his condition now, despite 4 vet visits in a month. The swelling spreads really fast and oral anti-inflammatories did not help him much. He is quite dehydrated and refuses to drink any water on his own. He eats less now and has to be forcefed fluids, though less than 2 ml altogether, on top of a wet diet. 

May I have your advice if there can be any form of surgery to remove the lump or intravenous injections that can help him relieve his pain and bring down the swelling? 

Thank you for your kind reply and time. 

Regards,

Name of owner

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IMAGES FROM THE OWNER

 

3420. Two orange-breasted green pigeons perched on the trees at 8 am today, Feb 8, 2019

Feb 8, 2019
I started exercise at around 8 am. Yesterday, the orange breasted pigeons appeared high up on the trees. Today, a pair appeared on top of two trees.

I took images of the first one on the tree to my left. He did perch for a few seconds. But my camera had no card. So, I thought that was it. I inserted the card.

Soon another pigeon appeared on the tree to my right, high up and hard to photograph his complete body too. Two images are below:

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3419. Orange breasted pigeon posed for me at 8.10am Feb 7, 2019 (4th day, Chinese New Year)

Feb 7, 2019
Yesterday, I did not exercise. Today, I went earlier at around 8.00 am. At around 8.10 am, I saw one orange breasted green pigeon perched high up on a tree to my behind and right, as if posing for me to photograph. He was there for around one minute sunning himself. May be a female.

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Only 2 photos

Camera EOS 80D. Lens EFS 18-200mm. P mode.8.10 am. Bright sunshine onto tree
Used Photoshop CC 2019.

I had seen 2 other birds flying around. Their bellies were bright yellow.  No mynahs seen on the grass of the exercise area today.